Chilli Export from India: Value Share and Grades
Chilli is India's single largest spice export at 27% of value in FY2025-26, led by Guntur, Byadgi and Teja grades.
- Aflatoxin B1 limit, dried chillies (EU)
- 5µg/kg
- Reg. (EU) 2023/915 — maximum levels for certain contaminants
Chilli in the export basket, FY2025-26
Chilli is the largest single category in India spice exports by value. The table shows it against the next two categories for scale.
| Category | Share of export value FY2025-26 |
|---|---|
| Chilli | 27% |
| Cumin | 12% |
| Spice oils & oleoresins | 12% |
The grades behind the number
Chilli export value is spread across heat and colour grades. Guntur Sannam S4 (35,000-45,000 SHU, ASTA 100-120) is the heat workhorse; Byadgi (ASTA 130-150) is bought for colour; Teja S17 carries ASTA 110-130. Guntur is Asia's largest chilli market and sets the world red-chilli price.
The compliance risk that hits chilli hardest
- Sudan dyes (illegal red colourants) carry zero tolerance; chilli is the classic target, so buyers demand dye testing.
- Aflatoxin B1 is capped at 5 µg/kg and total aflatoxins at 10 µg/kg for dried chillies in the EU.
- Whole dried chilli "cubes out", filling container volume before it hits weight, so it ships light and freight per tonne runs high.
Frequently asked
How much of India's spice exports is chilli?
Chilli is 27% of India spice export value in FY2025-26, the single largest category, ahead of cumin and spice oils & oleoresins at 12% each.
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Start a sourcing enquiry →What this page does not tell you
- Chilli absolute USD value
- Only the 27% value share is published; the standalone chilli USD total for FY2025-26 is not in the same release.
- Sudan-dye rejection counts
- The number of chilli consignments rejected for Sudan dye is not quantified in our sourced dataset.
Reviewed 16 July 2026.
Sources
- Spices Board of India — Export statistics· Tier 1, retrieved 2026-07-16
- Reg. (EU) 2023/915 — maximum levels for certain contaminants· Tier 1, retrieved 2026-07-16